Are you willing to walk away from a negotiation? Would you push your chair back from the table and walk out the door? In Ed Brodow’s experience, most people “say” they’re willing to walk away, but when it comes down to it, they’re glued to their seats. They’re too scared to walk away. So in this episode of Negotiations Ninja, Ed shares how to overcome your inner negotiation and walk out that door. Don’t miss it!
Outline of This Episode
- [2:21] Always be willing to walk away from a negotiation
- [8:45] How to win the negotiation with yourself
- [13:43] How Ed answers, “Why should I hire you?”
- [18:37] The importance of listening to and addressing needs
Always be willing to walk away from a negotiation
A lot of people believe they’re willing to walk away. They think they could walk away. But there’s a difference between being willing and thinking that you’re willing to walk away. Ed’s experience has taught him that most people aren’t willing to walk away. They feel that they have to make a deal. If they don’t make a deal, they believe it will hurt their career.
But to be a successful negotiator, you have to be willing to say to yourself, “I know what I need. I know what I want. If I can’t get what I need, then I’m going to do something else.”
Commit yourself to the mindset of being okay with walking away
Just because you’re willing to walk away doesn’t mean you should walk away. But you need to embrace that mindset. If you’re missing something important, make sure you always have alternatives. When you have this mindset, it manifests itself in your behavior, body language, and tone of voice.
The other side understands that you’re in a strong position without you having to say anything. They see a physical manifestation of self-belief. The other side wants to see how committed you are to the position that you’re taking. The best way to show that commitment is to have this mindset.
Ed’s mantra in action
When Ed was a sales manager, one of his sales reps came in with a question. He had a client willing to sign their contract with some caveats—he wanted some concessions. Ed didn’t have the authority to give the concessions he was asking for. So he went to the GM and convinced him that they should give this potential client the concessions.
So Ed went into the potential client’s office and offered him the concessions. But the prospect refused to sign the contract. Instead, he asked for a whole new set of conditions. Ed had gone out on a limb for this guy. So Ed picked up the contract, his paperwork, etc., and started to walk out. He made it to the elevator, and the guy came running, saying, “Wait—I’ll sign the contract!”
They filled out the paperwork, and he signed the contract. When it was done, he asked, “If I hadn’t come out and stopped you, would you have left?” With a twinkle in his eye, Ed said, “You’ll never know.” It was Ed’s willingness to walk away that made the deal happen. He never forgot the lesson he learned that day.
But how do you build the confidence to get to this point? How do you negotiate with yourself so that you aren’t giving in to unnecessary concessions? Listen to the whole episode to learn more from Ed!
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